Education department apologises to Lesufi after handover of 'dignity packs'

The Gauteng education department has apologised to premier Panyaza Lesufi for what it called a misunderstanding during the opening of a new school in Ga-Rankuwa, north of Tshwane, on Wednesday.

An image of Lesufi with girls carrying "dignity packs" was posted on social media and elicited outrage.

In a tweet, ActionSA president Herman Mashaba described it as a public relations exercise gone completely wrong.

"The dignity of our young woman compromised, used as a PR exercise by a shameless politician," Mashaba said.

The department said there was an unfortunate perception that the girl pupils were being paraded while receiving “dignity packs”.